Top 10 Nail Care Myths

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The Bliss Kiss™ Ultimate Nail Care Routine       Want Longer, Stronger Natural Nails in 30 Days? The Ultimate Nail Care Routine is the cornerstone of the Bliss Kiss™ 30 Day Challenge. The BEST way to get started on your journey to longer, stronger nails is just a...

NAIL ANATOMY – Different Parts of Fingernail

Curved Nails, Doug Schoon, Nail Anatomy

Nail Anatomy Authors: Doug Schoon and Ana Seidel Nail Anatomy - The Different Parts of the Fingernail Do you know where your cuticle is? Or your hyponychium? Most people don't. Not only is the general public confused about the names for the parts of the natural nail,...

NAIL ANATOMY – Different Parts of Fingernail

Curved Nails, Doug Schoon, Nail Anatomy

Nail Anatomy Authors: Doug Schoon and Ana Seidel Nail Anatomy - The Different Parts of the Fingernail Do you know where your cuticle is? Or your hyponychium? Most people don't. Not only is the general public confused about the names for the parts of the natural nail,...

Quick Tips: What are black spots on nails?

Black spots, Quick Tips

Black Spots on Nails?Have you ever had black spots or streaks show up in your nails? If so, it was probably hard to not freak out...What Causes Black Spots on Nails?Black Spots In Nails ASK ANA: Black Spots In Nails Hi, Ana! So you’ve talked about white spots on...

Quick Tips: Are Clear Nails Bad?

Clear Nails, Nail Health, Nail Problems, Quick Tips

Are Clear Nails Bad?Sometimes we get worried when our nails look different. Ana explains why clear nails from water is damaging while clear nails from oil absorption is strengthening.Are Clear Nail Tips Bad? It depends... If your tips are clear because your hands are...

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NAIL ANATOMY – Different Parts of Fingernail

Curved Nails, Doug Schoon, Nail Anatomy

Nail Anatomy Authors: Doug Schoon and Ana Seidel Nail Anatomy - The Different Parts of the Fingernail Do you know where your cuticle is? Or your hyponychium? Most people don't. Not only is the general public confused about the names for the parts of the natural nail,...

NAIL ANATOMY – Different Parts of Fingernail

Curved Nails, Doug Schoon, Nail Anatomy

Nail Anatomy Authors: Doug Schoon and Ana Seidel Nail Anatomy - The Different Parts of the Fingernail Do you know where your cuticle is? Or your hyponychium? Most people don't. Not only is the general public confused about the names for the parts of the natural nail,...

ASK ANA – Nail Files With Polish?

Ask Ana, Brittle Nails, Clear Nails, Cuticle Oil, Files, How to File Nails, Nail Anatomy, Nail Health, Nail Problems, Splitting

NAIL FILES Nail Files With Polish Hi Ana, I'm hoping you could give your input about a post from a well known Facebook page. I don't quite feel comfortable with the statement and it's actually put some doubt in my mind as to filing my nails. I'll be honest, I do file...

Stress Fractures In Nails

Nail Anatomy, Nail Care, Nail Problems

Stress Fractures in Nails Stress Fractures In Nails Have you ever been making the bed and bent a nail? I have. Way too many times. Simply put, a stress fracture in nails is when you accidentally bend the nail but it doesn't break. Instead, you're left with a bunch of...

NAIL ANATOMY – Different Parts of Fingernail

Curved Nails, Doug Schoon, Nail Anatomy

Nail Anatomy Authors: Doug Schoon and Ana Seidel Nail Anatomy - The Different Parts of the Fingernail Do you know where your cuticle is? Or your hyponychium? Most people don't. Not only is the general public confused about the names for the parts of the natural nail,...

See Through Nails – Can I Fix It?

Ask Ana, Clear Fingernail Tips, Clear Nails, How to Paint Nails, Nail Anatomy, Nail Health, Nail Problems

SEE THROUGH NAILS See Through Nails - Can I Fix It? ASK ANA "I have a bit of a question. I've had this transparency in my nails for years. I read your article about what can cause them to be transparent. I'm following your advice, but it doesn't appear to be...

The post Quick Tips: Are Clear Nails Bad? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

TL:DR Article Summary

Ana tested six drugstore base coats to see which ones actually hold up.

Two stood out for durability: Nina Ultra Pro™ and Wet ‘n Wild Megalast® The Saving Base—both made it past 10 days with minimal chipping.

• Nina Ultra Pro™ Basecoat & Ridge Filler (durable, covers grooves well—but chalk white and needs polish on top)
• Wet ‘n Wild Megalast® The Saving Base (budget-friendly, long-lasting, but ⚠️ newer version may stain—check your ingredients!)

Meh performers:
Sally Hansen® Nail Rehab™, Orly®, Finger Paints, and American Classics all had durability issues or didn’t cover grooves as well.

That said, it’s important to remember: base coats, polishes, and top coats all perform differently depending on your body chemistry and daily habits. The only real way to know what works for you is to try a few and pay attention to what lasts.

One of the worst things you can do is buff the ridges off your nail plate. Buffing weakens your nails by filing the thickest part to match the thinnest part!

This is why I always recommend using a ridge filler basecoat. I’ve had many people ask me which ridge filling basecoat is my favorite. I haven’t had a favorite.

But I do now!

In this article, I will cover:

• Why you need to use basecoat
• Why I tested several popular ridge filler base coats
• My criteria to help you make an educated decision
• And who were the winners—they might surprise you

Do We Really Need Basecoat?

Many people don’t know that basecoats are formulated to bond to the nail plate.

Polish is formulated to bond to basecoat—not the nail plate. Topcoat is formulated to bond to basecoat or polish.

Why Ridge Filler?

This is one of my pet peeves—you can’t fill ridges. You fill the grooves between the ridges.

Technically speaking, these basecoats should all be called Groove Fillers. But they probably wouldn’t sell very well because people obsess about dealing with their ridges.

We all want a smooth, glossy manicure. This is how ridge filling basecoats help us achieve the look we want.

The Contenders

I usually get this question at least once per week; “What is your favorite ridge filler basecoat?”

Since I am always testing things and turning myself into my own guinea pig on your behalf, I decided to test six ridge filler basecoats that I could find in the stores where I live in the USA.

I was shocked to discover that many of the big-name brands do not offer a ridge filler basecoat. In my opinion, that’s a disservice to the nail community.

I was able to find several ridge filling basecoats at Sally’s Beauty Supply in the US, and a couple in the drugstores (like Walgreen’s and CVS Pharmacy.)

Disclaimer: I know there are many other brands around the globe who do offer a ridge filler but sadly, I wasn’t able to get my hands on all of them. Perhaps you can take my favorites and compare them with a different brand that you have.

Here’s a list of the ridge filling basecoats I tested:

• Nina Ultra Pro™ Basecoat & Ridge Filler
• American Classics Bridge the Ridge®
• Finger Paints Smooth Over Ridge Filler
• Orly® Ridge Filler
• Sally Hansen® Nail Rehab™
• Wet ‘n Wild Megalast® The Saving Base

When I decided to do this test, my first criteria was to test for durability and number of days of wear.

What I didn’t realize was that in order to perform an accurate test, I would have to essentially wear the same manicure for over two months!

To get more accurate results from a test like this, it’s important to reduce different variables that may affect the outcome of the test.

I know that some polish wears longer or shorter than other brands. Sometimes even the color can change the durability. I didn’t want a different brand, color or top coat to affect the results of my tests.

That meant I had to use the exact same polish and the exact same topcoat for each basecoat I tested.

It’s a good thing I love purple! 

Here are the polishes and top coat I used:

• Polish: Color Club Holographic “Eternal Beauty” (primary color), OPI Liquid Sand “Can’t Let Go” (accent nails)
• Topcoat: Sally Hansen® Insta-Dri™ Anti-Chip Top Coat

Test 1: Nina Ultra Pro™ Base Coat & Ridge Filler

I started with Nina Ultra Pro™ Base Coat & Ridge Filler. When applied, it was white and streaky, which I didn’t care for. With two coats it covered the grooves in my nails nicely. Surprisingly, my manicure lasted 11 days before it started to chip.

Price: about $5

Likes:

• Covered ridges in my nails nicely with two coats
• Awesome durability

Dislikes:

• White, streaky color that could affect the way polish looks, depending on the color you paint over the basecoat. This made it impossible to wear on its own.

Manicure Durability:

• 11 days before chipping

Test 2: American Classics – Bridge the Ridge®

The next test was American Classics Bridge the Ridge®. It dried quickly, and within two coats. It covered almost all of the grooves on my nails. And, it had a nice matte finish.

Two days into the manicure I decided to braid my horse’s mane. I didn’t wear gloves because I needed to get a good grip on Zeus’s thick, wiry hair. Zeus’s mane ended up looking beautiful! But the polish on my thumbnail ended up chipping.

By the next day, I had a small chip on my left middle fingernail. Three days later, my manicure showed normal tip-wear. The basecoat on the undersides of my nail tips (part of the Fab Five Wrap manicure method ) was completely gone. The manicure lasted six days with American Classics Bridge the Ridge®.

Price: about $6

Likes:

• Dries quickly
• Covered ridges with two coats
• Matte finish

Dislikes:

• Didn’t hold up well with my normal daily activities

Manicure Durability:

• Began chipping on day 3
• Manicure lasted total of 6 days

Test 3: Finger Paints – Smooth Over Ridge Filler

The next one was Finger Paints – Smooth Over Ridge Filler. It was very natural looking, but it did not cover my yellow staining much. I used two coats to fully cover my grooves. It dried quickly with a semi-matte finish.

By the seventh day, I had chipping on the right side of my right thumbnail. I also had some sidewall chipping on both index tips. I had normal tip wear and significant tip wear under my nails.

Price: between $6-9

Likes:

• Dries quickly
• Covered ridges with two coats
• Semi-matte finish

Dislikes:

• Didn’t cover my nails’ yellow staining

Manicure Durability:

• 7 days before chipping

Test 4: Orly® Ridge Filler

Test number four was Orly® Ridge Filler. It went on a very white and looked very similar to the Nina Ultra Pro™ basecoat. It even smelled the same. But when compared to the Nina, it’s obvious that it’s a different formula.

Orly® Ridge Filler covered my grooves well in two coats. Some nails were coated with just one coat and it dried quickly.

By day three, my polish started chipping a bit. I had chips on my left index finger right thumb and right middle finger. My nails showed normal tip wear and undertip wear. I had to remove the polish by day seven to prevent my urge to pick at the chips.

This brand is available for purchase on Amazon US.

Price: between $5-8

Likes:

• Dries quickly
• Covered ridges with two coats

Dislikes:

• Applied very white
• Started chipping too soon

Manicure Durability:

• 3 days before chipping but lasted 7 days

Test 5: Sally Hansen® Nail Rehab 

Test number five was Sally Hansen® Nail Rehab™. The first thing I noticed was that it had a very wimpy brush. I liked the light pink color. The basecoat was a little thin so definitely needed two coats.

By day four I had a chip on my left index fingertip. My nails were showing a fair amount of tip wear on my right hand. I did wash my horse on day three, but I wore nitrile gloves to protect my nails from water absorption. Also, the polish was starting to chip on my right ring finger nail that had the textured polish. I couldn’t go past four days with the Sally Hansen® manicure because I knew would start picking at the chips.

This brand is available on Amazon US.

Price: between $8-12

Likes:

• Light pink color

Dislikes:

• Wimpy application brush
• Thin formula
• Showed more tip wear
• Not very durable compared to other ridge fillers

Manicure Durability:

• 4 days before chipping

Test 6: Wet ‘n Wild Megalast®  The Saving Base

The last base coat I tested was Wet ‘n Wild Megalast®  The Saving Base. This basecoat had a nice application and a nice a wide brush. Two coats covered the grooves in my nails.

Surprisingly, my manicure lasted 11 days!

By day 11, my manicure showed massive tip wear, but there were no chips. I had a big nice growth line in my polish from the cuticle line. I actually probably could’ve gotten one or two days more, but I had to remove my polish for an Instagram and Facebook Live with Cory. He painted my nails and he did a great job for his first manicure ever! Click here to see the video on Youtube

Price: about $3-4

Likes:

• Light pink color
• Nice wide brush
• Awesome durability

Dislikes:

• Showed more tip wear than others, but that is expected considering the length of the manicure.

Manicure Durability:

• 11 days before chipping

09.05.2020 Update:
Since writing this article, I have discovered that there appears to be two different versions of the Wet N Wild basecoat. The formula for this test had a pink tint. When I reordered, I noticed the tint was more yellow beige. The formula stained my nails yellow and I received feedback from others who had gotten the same results. I was curious as to why this happened, so I turned to my mentor, Doug Schoon.

“Pigments are not likely to stain the nail plate. They are too large to penetrate. Dyes and Lakes are other types of colorants that are often used, and many can and DO stain the nail plate. There are three different reds and one yellow colorant that have been reported as the most likely to stain the nail plate. The reds colorants are listed on product ingredient label as Red no. 6, Red no. 7, or Red no. 34. In the European Union, all three of these red colorants would be sold under their color index number “15850”. The yellow that is reported to cause a lot of staining is Yellow #5 Lake, which in the European Union is labelled as “19140”. It is true that some grades of nitrocellulose can stain as well. But the more expensive, higher quality grades are much less likely to discolor. Smaller companies that don’t sell much nail polish often use these inferior grades, since the best grades are too expensive when purchased in low quantities and the larger companies buy up all the high-quality nitrocellulose. When it does stain, nitrocellulose tends to be a more brownish-yellow stain, while discoloration caused by colorants tend to be the light yellowish tones or other odd shades, such as green. If this base coat contained nitrocellulose and no colorants, the nitrocellulose is a possible suspect. However, a high-quality base coat should not stain the nail plate, unless its surface is damaged. Damaged nail plates are much more likely to pick up stains, even from some foods stains or clothing. Damaged nail plates will absorb stains more easily than healthy nail plates.”

Schoon, Doug. Face-To-Face with Doug Schoon Volume III: Science and Facts about Nails/nail Products for the Educationally Inclined . Schoon Scientific. Kindle Edition.

BONUS TEST:  Nina Ultra Pro™ Basecoat & Ridge Filler

I decided to re-test Nina Ultra Pro™ Basecoat & Ridge Filler to verify results since it was the first basecoat I tested. Was it really strong enough to last 11 days? Or was that test just a fluke?

Yep! It was strong enough.

The second test lasted 10 days and had only minor chipping when I removed my manicure.

Sure, it was hard (really hard!) wearing the same color of polish two months in a row. But it ended up being a really fun experiment. The most fun part was being surprised by the results and finding two clear winners:

1. Nina Ultra Pro™
2. Wet ‘n Wild Megalast®  The Saving Base

 What Made Them Winners

Durability is a big deal for me. I really like my manicures to last at least 7 days. That means my manicure is going to have to survive a bit of rough and tumble treatment during my normal daily activities.

Both of these basecoats helped my manicure last 10 days or more with normal tip wear.

I didn’t care for the chalk white color of the Nina Ultra Pro™. It’s definitely not a basecoat that you can wear on its own. It must be covered with a colored polish because frankly, it looked a bit ugly when applied. You definitely couldn’t wear the basecoat alone or for french manicures. It requires a solid colored polish to cover it.

When I add in the variables of durability and appearance, my new favorite ridge filling basecoat is Wet ‘n Wild Megalast®  The Saving Base.

What About You?

It’s always important to remember that we aren’t the same. We all have different body chemistry which can cause you to have a different experience with these ridge filler basecoats.

For my international readers, I’m sorry I wasn’t able to test some of the brands available to you. Perhaps a group of you can get together and swap the basecoats you have to do your own tests.

I hope you found this article helpful!

Summary of Ridge Filling Basecoat Challenge Results

The post Best Ridge Filler – The Basecoat Challenge first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

The post ASK ANA – Nail Files With Polish? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Often times people think that clear fingernails is a sign that something is wrong. While your fingernails are a reflection of your overall health, there are external factors that can make you have clear fingernails. By the end of this article, you will understand what things cause nails to turn clear and that it might not be an indication that something bad is happening.

ASK ANA

“Hey there! I was wondering if you could help me with one of my biggest nail problems… I’ve always had extremely transparent nails, we can actually see through them (but that’s only one part of the problem) and as you can guess they’re uncommonly weak, they tend to unwillingly easily bend and thus causing some kind of imitation of brittle nails. I’ve tried different treatments to strengthen them but nothing has ever truly worked. So my question is, would there be something to change in my diet, a keratin trouble of some kind? (since i also have very thin and weak hair) or simply does a magical product i don’t know of actually exists…? Thanks a lot in advance for your precious help! ~Calou

ANSWER

This is a topic that can be very convoluted, so I will do my best to keep it simple. There are many factors that can cause the free edge of your fingernails to be clear. But the most important thing to know is … that your nail plate is made of translucent keratin protein.

The Healthy Nail Plate

Yep, the healthy nail plate is supposed to be semi-transparent. The pink area you see on your nails is actually the life-nourishing, nail bed BELOW the nail plate. The nail bed provides a constant flow of moisture and oil through the nail plate. In fact, there are only two substances that can travel through the nail plate; water and oil. Water can travel THROUGH and AROUND the nail cells.  Certain oils with a small molecular structure can travel AROUND the nail cells. Your fingernail is produced in the matrix right behind your proximal fold, (cuticle line). The lunula (small moon) is the only visible part of your matrix. The reason the lunula is a different color is that those are the keratin nail cells that are plump and still alive. Most people can see the lunula on their thumbnails. As soon as those keratin cells pass the lunula area, they die. They dry out and lose their opacity—becoming translucent, and flatten becoming the 50ish layers of keratin cells that make up our “fingernails.” The color of the free edge that extends past your fingertips depends on how much of the inner cell material stays in the nail plate cells as they continue to grow forward on the nail plate. Usually, they are fairly clear just as they move past the fingertip, then turn white because they aren’t being ‘hydrated’ by a continuous upward flow of body oil and moisture from the nail bed.

Are White Tips Healthy?

So if your nail tips (free edge) is turning white, it’s because your nails are drying out and the whiter they are, the more dried out they are. Hypothetically speaking, this makes me wonder if we’ve got it all backward! Is the reason white tips are so highly coveted because our society has NEVER known how to properly rehydrate their nails?

Are You Average?

Genetics, your health, and natural nail thickness are important parts in determining what color your nail turns as it leaves the fingertip. The average number of keratin layers people have is about 50 layers in their fingernails (100 for toenails). A person with 30 layers may have tips that stay more transparent. A person with 60 layers is going to have more layers to keep hydrated, and if they don’t, the tips become whiter. Once you’ve properly rehydrated your nails with a jojoba wax ester based nail oil like Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™, your nails become the color they are supposed to be. Your nails could be completely translucent, be partially white with spots or bands of translucency, or fully white. All are normal.

Other Factors That Affect Color

Water

According to Dr. Bhupinder Kaur on the MedHelp website, continuous contact with water can make your nails transparent. Washing your hands not only dries out your skin, but it also strips oil from your nails. There are many microscopic channels that make it easy for the nail plate to absorb large quantities of water. A normal nail plate can hold almost 1/3 it’s own weight in water! Remember how I said earlier that water is able to pass BETWEEN the keratin cells but also THROUGH the flattened cells. Nails that have been soaking in water become overly soft, overly flexible and tear easily. Healthy nails have about 18% water. But too much moisture can weaken the nail plate by separating the keratin layers leading to serious peeling and splitting problems.

Solutions

Oil: Since we all need to wash our hands and bathe, to fight the water’s effect on your nails, rehydrate them with a high quality, jojoba based nail and cuticle oil like Simply Pure™. Gloves: Learn to love gloves. I know many of you hate them, but realize that for various reasons you have “decided” to hate them. If you want healthy, beautiful nails, then you need to decide to love gloves. Wear cotton gloves while doing dry housekeeping. Wear dish gloves for as much wet housekeeping as possible; dishes, laundry, heavy cleaning. Cut back on your contact with soaps and detergents. Polish: Nail polish is a strong protective barrier between your nail plate and water. Nail polish doesn’t eliminate water absorption but it slows it down significantly. Just make sure you are using my Fab 5 Technique and completely wrapping your base coat and top coat around your free edge.

Nail Polish Removers

I know I’m stating the obvious, but polish removers are very drying to your nails. If you love polish then you have to love removers. But most of you don’t. You fear acetone. Why? Because someone in the non-acetone industry had an excellent public relations department who brainwashed us into thinking that non-acetone is less drying. We bought into the lie. The truth is that acetone and non-acetone ingredients (ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone) are solvents. They dissolve stuff that water can’t dissolve. Nail polish needs a solvent. According to scientific information, acetone is slightly safer than ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone. And acetone dissolves things faster! You want the product that dissolves lacquer faster because it’s LESS drying.

Work With the Acetone

If acetone is going to dissolve nail polish, then it’s going to dissolve the oil in your nails. Acetone also evaporates extremely fast, taking your nail’s moisture with it. This seriously whitens nail tips and makes them very brittle.

1. BEFORE removing polish, cover the skin around your nails with an inexpensive oil from your kitchen. Let the acetone work on that oil instead of your skin’s oils. My new favorite method is to add Simply Soft™ acetone additive to my acetone which lets me skip the oil slathering process.

2. Use my Soak & Swipe method to remove polish in a few minutes. I’m not kidding. You can remove the polish on all 10 fingers in about 4 minutes.

The manicure clips trap in your body heat, which warms up the acetone, making it dissolve polish 50% faster.

3. AFTER removing polish, gently scrub your nails with a nail brush and warm, soapy water for one or two minutes. This will put water back into your nails.

4. Rehydrate your nails with a jojoba wax ester based nail oil. Keep reapplying oil when your nails feel dry for 2 to 8 hours.

5. When you’re ready to polish your nails again, follow the directions for my Fab 5 Polish Wrap.

When to Visit The Doctor

NOTE: I doubt there is any great medical significance here, but there are three minerals that should be checked to make sure you are not deficient in them.

• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium

These are checked on blood tests but are not done routinely so you will need to ask your General Practitioner to check for them specifically.

Deficiencies in these can cause discolored, brittle or white spots on nails. Make sure you are eating a good diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables.

In Conclusion

There are lots of reason for having clear fingernails. For most people, it has nothing to do with health issues. But, if you tried all of my solutions and are still having issues, it might be worth a trip to the doctor. Most likely they will set your mind at ease by telling you that there is nothing wrong.

The post Clear Fingernails & Health Issues first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

ASK ANA: Yellow Nails – How To Remove Nail Polish Properly

ASK ANA

Hi Ana! I have a question that’s been bugging me. I have semi-stained nails, they’re not as yellow as the one you’ve posted in your Yellow Nail – Is There a Basecoat that Prevents It? article, but if you place my nail next to someone else’s nails who hasn’t used nail polish, there’s a clear difference that hers are whiter. One of my friends told me that I should be letting my nails ‘regrow’ so the yellow will go away…? So I should stay away from any nail polish until the nail regrows and it is back to its normal state. Does this work and is this true? I’m very confused. I’ve also tried everything to get rid of the remaining stain…. from lemons to whitening toothpaste to whitening cleanser and nothing seems to work! ~Lucy

ANSWER

The short answer is if you love nail polish, you’re going to have stained nails.

Embrace it.

Getting Up Close

Nail Keratin Cells Under Electron Microscope

The long answer is that we need to understand how dyes and pigments work in nail polish. We also need to to understand how those ingredients affect the nail plate with our removal technique. Our nail plates are made up of about 50 layers of keratin. The cells are layered like shingles on your roof. The layers on your nails grow from your cuticle line to your tips.

Polish Pigments

“Pigments are the heart of the polish. They provide the color and covering power. A white pigment called titanium dioxide is frequently combined with colored pigments to increase coverage or produce pastel colors. Other pigments, such as bismuth oxychloride and the mineral mica, are coated with a thin layer of titanium dioxide or other colorants to create many beautiful iridescent shades. Dyes are also occasionally used to modify the color. What’s the difference between pigments and dyes? Pigments do not dissolve in the nail polish formulation. They’re finely ground solid particles of color. But even when ground into tiny particles, the pigments are still far too large to penetrate the nail pate plate and cause staining. Dyes are soluble and dissolve in the formulation. Food coloring see used to color Easter eggs are examples of soluble dies. Notice how easily the dice oaks into the surface of the egg to stain it?” ~Doug Schoon, author of Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

Stop Using Polish? Say It Ain’t So!

Yes, if you never wear polish again, you will have beautiful clean looking nails. In essence your friend is correct. Her advice is boring. I, like you, love all the pretty colors, glitters, chromes, holographics, etc. My life would be just too dull without polish.

No Scrub-a-Dubbing Allowed

Most people soak a cotton ball with polish remover and start scrubbing side to side, then back and forth. Just keep working at it until it’s dissolved. Right?

Wrong.

There’s a Better Way

Over the years, I’ve tested just about every method of removing nail polish—especially stubborn ones like glitter, UV gel, and thick multi-layer manis. The one I keep coming back to is what we call the Soak & Swipe™ method. It’s based on proven principles that protect your nails and skin while effectively removing polish.

Here’s what makes it different:

• Acetone works best when fully saturated and allowed to sit on the nail. This gives it time to dissolve polish—without the need for rubbing or scraping.

• Cotton acts as a delivery system, but most people don’t realize it needs to be completely soaked with acetone to be effective. Not damp. Soaked.

• Your body heat matters—it helps acetone work faster. That’s why we recommend using clips to gently hold the soaked cotton against the nail.

• Acetone is extremely drying to both skin and nails. Before applying the clips, I always rub cooking oil (like canola or olive oil) onto the skin around my nails. This simple step helps reduce the harsh drying effect. (Another way to reduce the drying effects of acetone is adding our Simply Soft™ Acetone Booster to 8 oz of Acetone.)

One more important tip: when you remove the clip, use a fresh acetone-soaked cotton pad to “swipe” away the old polish in one clean motion. No rubbing. No peeling. Just polish that slides off easily when you give acetone the time and setup it needs to work.

This technique not only saves time—it helps preserve your natural oils and prevents unnecessary damage to the nail plate and surrounding skin.

If you’re trying to grow stronger, healthier nails, how you remove your polish really matters. Soak & Swipe™ is about removing polish without removing the health of your nails in the process.

Knowledge Is Power

Combining this technique with the understanding of the nail plate’s structure, it’s easy to see that this is the best way to remove polish. By completely dissolving the polish first, and sliding it off in the same direction as the keratin cells grow, it helps reduce yellow stains. Notice I said reduce? Depending on the amount of dyes in a polish’s formulation, you just won’t be able to completely stop the yellow stains.

The formulation of the polish determines performance, not the brand name.

I have used several salon quality, more expensive polishes that have stained just as well as the inexpensive drug-store brands.

Steps To Success

Do Not Buff Out Yellow Stains

And for that matter, don’t buff ever.

Since you’ve only got about 50 layers of keratin. Each time you buff, you remove a layer or two.

No big deal?

It takes about 4 months for your nails to completely replace themselves from cuticle line to tip.

If you buff your nails every week, then you’ve shaved down 16 to 36 layers!

Then you wonder why your nails are thin, peeling, and breaking?

Yes, it’s a big deal. I explain this more in Ridges In Nails – To Buff or Not to Buff?

Ditch the Whitening Ideas

As I mentioned in my “Polish Chipping in the Shower” article, nails can soak up 3 times their weight in water.

Water pushes the nail layers apart. This leads to peeling.

It’s damaging to soak your nails in a whitening solution or scrubbing them with toothpaste.

Always Use Base Coat

Since you don’t know how much dyes are in any polish, it’s best to create a barrier layer.

A good ridge filling base coat does just that. It prevents the dyes from having direct contact with the nail plate.

Remember, base coats are formulated to bond to the nail plate. Polishes are formulated to bond to base coat. And topcoat is for a durable high gloss shine.

Any product that claims to be a base and topcoat combined will do neither function well. 

In Conclusion

Using two layers of a pink ridge filling base coat and proper polish removal technique will reduce a large amount of yellow staining. The pink tint does a great job of concealing the staining.

If you end up with the crazy blue, green, or pink stains, Polish Stain Removal Tips article.

Yellow stains are the consequence of lacquer lust.

As for me, I’m going to keep lusting and polishing.

Have a Question You’d Like Ana to Answer?

If Ana features your question in an “Ask Ana” article, you’ll get an email from us within a week asking you for your shipping address. Woohoo! This is our way of thanking you for asking a great question and helping deliver more value to our NailCareHQ readers, Blissettes and the Bliss Kiss™ community. Info@MyBlissKiss.com

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See Through Nails – Can I Fix It?

ASK ANA

“I have a bit of a question. I’ve had this transparency in my nails for years. I read your article about what can cause them to be transparent. I’m following your advice, but it doesn’t appear to be improving.

But even when avoiding water, mine never went away.

I used to use metal files to clean under my nails and sometimes was a bit aggressive. Could that have damaged my nails?

I’m including a picture of the transparency (below). I used a pink cuticle stick to show how bad it is.

Photo Used with Stephanie’s Permission

It’s like this on most of my nails and I hate it since at times it makes my nails look dirty and dingy even when they are perfectly clean. Is this something that will correct over time?

I’ve been using nail oil and have seen dramatic results in my nails already. I hope that in time, things will heal. Thanks!” ~Stephanie

ANSWER

Ok, just to warn you…I’m about to get into some very geeky nail terms.

I’m going to throw around some big words that most people wouldn’t bother publishing because they think you’re not smart enough.

But I believe, if you are truly seeking the truth about proper nail care, then you are smart enough to learn the right words.

Just like a toddler can learn that the proper name for a “binkie” is pacifier, I know you can learn the correct definition of the parts of the nail and surrounding skin. It feels empowering to “know” what you’re talking about.

I have done my best to include labeled macro shots to help you understand.

The Guardian Seals

We have four guardian seals which keep bacteria and germs away from sensitive live tissue under and around our nails.

Three guardian seals are easily seen; the two side wall lateral nail folds and the proximal fold of the eponychium (“cuticle” line).

The fourth guardian seal is under your nail where the nail leaves the skin of your pink nail bed and becomes your nail tip. This is also known as the free edge.

Mirror Images

Two of the guardian seals are very similar in structure but are opposites; the Eponychium and Hyponychium (epp-uh-NICK-ee-um and hip-uh-NICK-ee-um)

The Eponychium

CLICK FOR MORE DETAIL

What most people think of as their “cuticle” is actually the “proximal nail fold of the eponychium“.

Proximal is a medical term meaning nearest—since it is the nearest skin to your nail plate.

As you can see in the photo of my nails to the right, the proximal nail fold should be a nice tight band of skin sealed to the nail plate.

The eponychium covers the newly forming natural nail plate with a protective roof of living skin.

The matrix is where new nail cells are created and is located behind the proximal fold.

Depending on the size of your matrix, your eponychium extends to approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch behind your proximal nail fold.

Extreme cuts, nicks, bruises, irritating substances, or other injuries to the eponychium can cause permanently lost or damaged nails plates.

The most common injuries I see to the proximal nail fold are “nipping” or “extreme pushing“.

It is actually possible to push your proximal nail fold so hard that it wraps under itself, causing inflammation and possible infection because it’s no longer attached to the nail plate.

It breaks my heart when I see this red irritation in nail blogger’s photos.

Since the thin skin of the proximal nail fold dries out quickly, it is easily—and incorrectly—assumed to be un-necessary.

There is nothing that is FARTHER from the TRUTH.

When this skin dries out, the best solution is to keep it moisturized with a continuous, thin layer of high quality, jojoba wax ester based nail oil. This might mean that you’re applying the oil every few hours.

The Hyponychium

CLICK PHOTO FOR MORE DETAIL

Since the Eponychium is the guardian seal on top of the nail plate, the Hyponychium is the guardian seal below the nail plate.

Please refer to the photo to the right, so I don’t completely confuse you.

The hyponychium prevents infectious germs and bacteria from getting underneath your nail. If this seal is broken, the nail plate may lift away from the pink nail bed and dramatically increase the risk of infection. [Source: Nail Structure and Product Chemistry, Doug Schoon]

Healthy VS Cleanliness

To all of my germa-phobe readers—I’m about to turn your world upside down.

In the world of nails—cleanliness is NOT next to Godliness.

Does this mean you should run around with a bunch of “who knows what” under your nails?

NO!

BUT… there is a fine line . . .

Clean VS Dirty

You can have clean nail tips by using a nail brush regularly, yet they can still “look dirty”, especially in the corners.

Personally, I deal with this every week.

The dirt of life continually “settles” into the corners of my nail tips even though I clean them with a nail brush daily.

Does this mean you and I have poor hygiene? NO!!!!!

Some people also have “off-white” nail tips. They may look yellow. Sometimes this can be caused by health issues, age, or simply genetics.

And we can’t forget the most common reason for yellowing nails—wearing nail polish. The pigments stain the top few layers. It’s no big deal, but so many people freak out about it.

Metal and Matter Don’t Mix

Digging out the dirt with metal file points puts too much pressure on the hyponychium skin and WILL cause it to recede. It’s a similar effect that nail biters experience. The more they bite the nail past the hyponychium, the more it’s forced to keep receding to protect the nail bed.

I don’t think it’s necessary to dig out the dirt if the hyponychium is going to pay the price. There are other solutions.

Stephanie, if you just recently stopped using a metal file, then your see through nail tips could be because of aggressive cleaning with the point of a metal file.

The good news is that the hyponychium will return to it’s normal position when given several months to heal by leaving it alone. Make sure you’re applying your nail oil to the hyponychium to keep the skin soft and help it heal.

Are See-Through Nail Tips Bad?

CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE DETAIL

Like I mentioned in a previous article, I don’t think clear spots in tips is necessarily a bad thing.

As you can see in the image to the right of my nails, I constantly have clear spots in the inside corners of my nail tips.

Although I’m not a doctor or a dermatologist, I’ve spent a lot of time learning and thinking about what happens to our nails as we live our lives.

The inside corners (near the sidewall nail folds) of our nails take A LOT of stress.

They’re constantly getting pulled, pushed, and jammed while we open and close various doors, turn knobs, pull handles, push and pull fabric, open and close boxes, etc.

These forces can cause the nail plate to pull away from the hyponychium.

This is also the same area where we usually get hard skin calluses too.

Like I explained in a previous article, the edge of your nail is continually cutting into that skin. You can see this really clearly in my photo to the right. Any time you put pressure on your finger tips to pick anything up, that nail edge digs into the skin.

The body’s only protection mechanism is to create calluses. Nail oil is also very important in preventing the calluses from drying out.

Drying Out Takes Time

Once the nail tip has pulled away from the hyponychium, it doesn’t turn white right away.

While your nail plate is on the pink nail bed, it is being nourished with a continuous flow of moisture and sebum (body oil). This keeps the nail cells transparent.

When the nail plate leaves the nail bed, it slowly starts to dry out and become white (or off-white). Just as an autumn leaf takes time to lose it’s moisture and become crispy—so does the free edge.

Do You Wick?

The other idea, which I see more in your nails, Stephanie, is that perhaps the moisture and sebum from the nail bed is wicking out into your free edge.

Even though the nail plate has past the hyponychium, it’s possible that they are still receiving the moisture which keeps that portion clear.

This may be especially true if your nails have this clear band all the time.

If see through nail tips is a situation that just started with no apparent cause, then it might be time to visit your doctor.

Solutions

To keep your nail tips clean, use a nail brush when you feel they are dirty. It is not necessary with every hand washing, but should be done at least once a day.

We don’t have to clean our hands and nails excessively like we are a doctor “scrubbing in” for surgery.

It simply dries out your skin and nails more, forcing you to need to constantly apply more nail oil.

Dealing With the Dirt

I usually don’t notice the dirt in my corners until I remove my manicure each week. 

I have a similar problem with the corners of some of my nails collecting fine dirt. Try to use only a stiff nail brush to clean under your nails with water.

If I still have dirt in the corners, then I will use a small makeup brush or art brush saturated with water, acetone or rubbing alcohol to get into those corners. You’ll have to see which one works better for you.

I’ve found cleaning the underside with rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip brand cotton swab to be very helpful when preparing to polish my nails.

Also, using the Fab 5 Polish Wrap—2 basecoat wraps, 2 color coats, and 1 topcoat wrap—really helps keep the dirt away. Dirt just doesn’t stick to polish the way it does to the natural nail.

Cover Up

Since you’ve had this your entire life Stephanie, then it’s just the way your nails are. Since we’re all different, sometimes it can be frustrating when nature hasn’t blessed us with “picture perfect nails”.

Of course you can always cover your nails with colored polish.

You can also use polishes to “recreate” the natural look you are looking for.

This is something that my Mom has started doing since she has always had “very off-white” tips. After sampling every white and french pink polish I own, she was able to find the perfect combination. That’s a good perk when you’re related to a polish nut. 😀

Ophilie at Tartofraises has created a great video showing how to do a soft french manicure to make your nails look “more natural”.

For you Stephanie, I would recommend a more solid pink tone over your basecoat, then the white on the tips.

Hope this helps! ~Ana

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The post See Through Nails – Can I Fix It? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

By the end of this article you will understand…

1. What the things are that cause nails to turn clear
2. And it might not be an indication that something bad is happening

ASK ANA

“Hi Ana! I have a question for you…What does it mean when you put Pure™ Nail and Cuticle Oil on and the free edge is practically transparent..I.E-the white is gone and you can see the tip of your finger behind the nail through it?” ~Kim

ANSWER

There are many factors that can cause the free edge of your fingernails to be clear. Figuring out how clear fingernails happens can get complicated, so I will do my best to keep it simple.

The most important thing to know is … that your nail plate is made of translucent keratin protein.

The Healthy Nail Plate

Translucent keratin protein—yep, the healthy nail plate is supposed to be semi-transparent. 

The pink area you see on your nails is actually the life nourishing, nail bed BELOW the nail plate. The nail bed provides a constant flow of moisture and oil through the nail plate.

Your fingernail is produced in the matrix right behind your eponychium, (cuticle line). The lunula (small moon) is the only visible part of your matrix. Not all fingers have a visible lunula.

The reason the lunula is a different color is because those are the keratin nail cells that are plump and still alive. Most people can see the lunula on their thumbnails.

As soon as those keratin cells pass the lunula area, they die. They dry out, loose their opacity—becoming translucent, and flatten becoming the 50’ish layers of keratin cells that make up our “fingernails.”

The color of the free edge that extends past your fingertips depends on how much of the inner cell material stays in the nail plate cells as they continue to grow forward on the nail plate.

Usually, they are fairly clear just as they move past the fingertip, then turn white because they aren’t being ‘hydrated’ by a continuous upward flow of body oil and moisture from the nail bed.

Are White Tips Healthy?

So—if your nail tips (free edge) are turning white, it’s because your nails are drying out and the whiter they are, the more dried out they are.

This makes me wonder if we’ve got it all backwards. Is the reason white tips are so highly coveted because our society has never known how to properly rehydrate their nails? Is it better to have clear fingernails? Read on…

Are You Average?

Genetics, your health, and natural nail thickness are important parts in determining what color your nail turns as it leaves the fingertip.

The average number of keratin layers people have is about 50 layers in their fingernails (100 for toe nails). A person with 40 layers may have tips that stay more transparent. A person with 60 layers is going to have more layers to keep hydrated, and if they don’t, the tips become whiter.

Once you’ve properly rehydrated your nails with a jojoba wax ester nail oil, that’s the color your nails are supposed to be. They could be completely translucent, or be partially white with spots or bands of translucency, or fully white.

All are normal.

It’s not necessarily bad to have clear fingernails, as long as it’s not from too much water.

Biggest Cause of Clear Fingernails

Photo of clear fingernails used with permission from LoodieLoodieLoodie

Water

The photo to the left from LoodieLoodieLoodie after she enjoyed a crab feast, shows that continuous contact with water can make your nails transparent. Also washing your hands dries out your skin and strips oil from your nails.

There are many microscopic channels that make it easy for the nail plate to absorb large quantities of water. A normal nail plate can hold 1/3rd it’s own weight in water!

Water is able to pass BETWEEN the keratin cells but also THROUGH the flattened cells. Nails that have been soaking in water become overly soft, overly flexible and tear easily. You can easily see that your nails have absorbed too much water because you have clear fingernails.

Healthy nails have about 18% water. But too much moisture can weaken the nail plate by separating the keratin layers leading to serious peeling and splitting problems.

Solutions

1.  Oil

Since we all need to wash our hands and bathe, to fight the water’s effect on your nails, rehydrate them with a high quality, jojoba wax ester based nail and cuticle oil.

Check out our Mini/Overnight Hydration Process to give your nails a quick boost of hydration.

Here are what my nails look like after an overnight hydration. Note that the oil has fully penetrated the layers of my nails, making them look semi-transparent. That is a GOOD thing!

2. Gloves

Learn to love gloves. I know many of you hate them, but realize that for various reasons you have “decided” to hate them. If you want healthy, beautiful nails, then you need to “decide” to love gloves.

Wear cotton gloves while doing dry housekeeping.

Wear dish gloves for as much wet housekeeping as possible; dishes, laundry, heavy cleaning. Cut back on your contact with soaps and detergents. A pair of nitrile or latex gloves combined with a good quality jojoba-based oil is the perfect way to both protect your nails and skin from water and other chemicals while giving your nails and skin a wonderful mini-hydration treat!

3. Polish

Nail polish is a strong protective barrier between your nail plate and water. Nail polish doesn’t eliminate water absorption but it slows it down significantly. Just make sure you are completely wrapping your base coat and top coat around your free edge.

Nail Polish Removers Cause White Tips

I know I’m stating the obvious, but polish removers are very drying to your nails. If you love polish then you have to love removers. But most of you don’t. You fear acetone.

Why? Because someone in the nail industry who wanted to create another removal product had an excellent public relations department who brainwashed us into thinking that non-acetone is less drying.

We bought into the lie.

The truth is that acetone and non-acetone ingredients (ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone) are solvents. They dissolve stuff that water can’t dissolve. Nail polish needs a solvent.

According to scientific information, acetone is slightly safer than ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone.

And acetone dissolves polish faster! You want to use the product that dissolves lacquer faster because it’s LESS drying.

Solutions – Work With the Acetone

If acetone is going to dissolve nail polish, then it’s going to dissolve the oil in your nails. Acetone also evaporates extremely fast, taking your nail’s moisture with it. This seriously whitens nail tips and makes them very brittle. The solution is to remove polish quickly and then take some time rehydrating your nails with a little water and a lot of oil before your next manicure.

Apply oil before removing polish

1. BEFORE removing polish, cover the skin around your nails with an inexpensive oil from your kitchen. Let the acetone work on that oil instead of your skin’s oils.

2. Use my Soak and Swipe™ of removing polish with one cotton ball. (Video above)

• Open the cotton ball into one long piece and cut it into sections that will fit on your nails.
• Dip one piece of cotton in acetone.
• Lay that piece on your nail, pressing it into the lacquer.
• Apply manicure clip to nail
• Repeat the process with the remaining 4 fingers.
• Then return to the first finger, remove the clip, firmly grip the cotton and pull the polish off. It should completely wipe off.
• Repeat with remaining 4 fingers.
• Repeat all above steps on your other hand.

4. Rehydrate your nails with a jojoba based nail oil. Keep reapplying oil when your nails feel dry for 2 to 8 hours.

5. When you’re ready to polish your nails again, follow the directions on my Fab 5 Polish Wrap article.

In Conclusion

Now you’ve learned the external causes of clear fingernails, you can make a choice.

You now have more information to discover what your healthy nails look like and to keep them that way.

Perhaps having clear fingernails isn’t such a bad thing.

The post Clear Fingernails – Is It a Bad Thing? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.